[Suggestion] Bring Back the Default Avatars

I feel like this is more likely to be a result of a forum update and less likely to be an intentional change, but I guess I've been wrong before.

 

Were they removed because of EULA when we went through the stage of trying to follow the rules?

+1

 

They have minecraft texture on them,
Hence why a lot of the Forum Awards Changed,
Along with the Vote images.

 

Was it because the EULA didn't allow servers to use Minecraft textures on their websites? If that's the case, then we should add them back since we don't follow the EULA anymore.

 

It's not EULA, it's copyright/brand protection. It falls under a whole different legal area. And it involves DMCA takedown requests.

 

It's literally using copyrighted imagery belonging to Mojang. They fight that. That's how copyright protection works.

 

Using someone else's intellectual property for commercial activities.

I have absolutely no idea why Mojang would suddenly start enforcing their branding against ECC, almost as if they had a reason to be annoyed...

 

Resource packs only use the model (i.e., a cube that can be opened) and belong to their respective creators instead of Mojang.

Basic Steve/Alex skin = Made by Mojang; Custom skin = Made by someone else? I don't think I understand this question.

They were changed when the other Mojang textures were removed a while ago - until andrew made an [Alert] announcement that they would simply be re-added.

 

Non-commercial use: Fine.
Selling such signatures for USD: Most likely not.

3/5 were completely re-added, 2/5 were replaced with a different version. I agree with restoring the original bronze/silver textures, but I disagree with rearranging them.

 

So much misinforming going on here:

Basically:

• Mojang owns the textures and artwork for Minecraft. They don't own resource packs, however.
• ECC makes money, therefore they can't use Minecraft's artwork. As that doesn't fall under fair use.
• Users using Minecraft textures in their profiles or whatever. That's fine. That's not ECC's doing. It falls under fair use.
• EULA and Copyright are two entirely different concepts. The EULA can't be reasonably enforced through official legal paths (you can't sue for breaching the EULA), whereas you can sue for copyright abuse. (Though there's a process called DMCA takedown request where a copyright holder requests you, or your host, to take down the artwork. Not doing that might result in further legal action.)

If andrew puts the textures back, odds are Mojang will complain. A much better alternative would be using something like the Painterly pack, which has a terms of use that says you are free to use the textures without asking for permission.

 

I think what @stoler202 is missing is this: yes, copyright and EULA are different stuff, so the two have nothing to do with each other; however EULA isn't enforceable while copyright is (as others already said this). Therefore, because mojang is pissed off by ECC not respecting EULA, they will do anything to bring it down, including (ab)using laws that have nothing to do with EULA in the first place (such as copyright law). We're complying with petty aspects of the copyright law (that we never complied with before because they're honestly irrelevant, such as avatars) after the EULA thing, not because the two are related, but because mojang would take advantage of one in order to rake revenge for the other one.